SAN FRANCISCO (November 21, 2012)-- San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors has narrowly approved a proposal to ban public nakedness.

The 11-member board voted 6-5 Tuesday on an ordinance that prohibits exposed genitals in most public places, including streets, sidewalks and public transit.

A first offense carries a maximum penalty of a $100 fine, but prosecutors have the authority to charge a third violation as a misdemeanor punishable by as much as a year in jail and a fine of as much as $500.

Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced the measure in response to escalating complaints about a group of men whose lack of clothing was an almost daily occurrence in the city's predominantly gay Castro District.

A federal lawsuit seeking to block the ban was filed ahead of Tuesday's vote.